


How to tame a Queen of Evil

by Madam_Violet



Series: The Vault Chronicles [25]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Gen, I try to stick to the canon, The Vault (Doctor Who)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-19
Updated: 2018-05-19
Packaged: 2019-05-08 22:58:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14704227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madam_Violet/pseuds/Madam_Violet
Summary: As he doesn't trust the Doctor around a newly captive Missy, Nardole has to take the charge upon himself.Sort of origin story for Nardole and Missy's friendly relationship. Also, direct prequel of "Tangled hair and broken bonds", if you're interested, check my Vault Chronicles series :3.





	How to tame a Queen of Evil

"So" Nardole said with a frown, "you've got a very dangerous Time Lady in a box."  
The Doctor didn't answer right away, too busy messing with the elaborate lock.  
"What are we going to do ?" the cyborg squealed in panic.  
The Doctor sighed.  
"I don't know, maybe you could give me a hand to open this."  
"Op... Open this ? But she's inside, sir !"  
"Of course she's inside, in the dark, lying on a cold stone and probably quite hungry. If you want to make yourself useful, why not starting with making tea and preparing a sandwich or something. A lamp and a few blankets would be nice too, until I get her a proper bed."  
Nardole nodded and followed the order and came back with the items. Entering the Vault had been one of the most terrifying experiences in his long and dangerous life. It was pitch black in there, except for the faint blueish glow of a force field. He almost had a heart attack when he noticed the prisoner staring at them with dead pale eyes. Fortunately, the Doctor took care of the rest, entering the force field with his assistant's help and giving the food and blankets to the captive. It didn't last, but Nardole counted each seconds with terror.

"No, sir, you're not entering in there ! Why don't you install a food dispenser or something ? It's dangerous enough to stay by the doors !"  
The Doctor gave him an angry glare.  
"Maybe I'll do it later. For the moment I want to check on her regularly. She already let herself die in the past to avoid being imprisoned and believe me, she's more dangerous dead than alive."  
"I don't think you should !" Nardole said sternly. "She's going to manipulate you. I see you, you know, the way you look at her. River would be quite disappointed."  
"River told me she had met her and had a weird crush on her. I'm sure that's the reason why she wanted to make sure I would save her life. But if you don't trust me, why don't you check on her by yourself ?"  
Nardole whimpered, but he had to admit the Doctor was right. Taking the bag of food from the Doctor's hands, he walked towards the Vault.  
"Nardole !"  
"Yes, sir ?"  
"I suppose she can still use hypnotism, please, avoid looking at her in the eyes and don't talk to her even if she starts the conversation. You just have to make sure she ate well and scan her with my screwdriver."  
Nardole nodded, terrified, but still happy the Doctor listened to his wise advice.  
Entering the Vault was still terrifying despite the new lights installed by the Doctor. The place was still gloomy as a tomb, but at least it provided its occupier with light and heat. Before opening the doors, he had made sure she was restrained inside the containment field, but he wasn't sure he could trust the scanners. Shivering, he watched all around, looking for a trap. The prisoner chuckled with malice. Nardole put the bag on the table and took the one from the previous day. Handing the screwdriver towards the containment field and nodded at the results. The Doctor would give the results a better analysis.  
It had become a routine for the next days, Nardole going down to the Vault and providing Missy with her meals of the day. The Doctor had been down a pair of times to work on the Vault layout. The place now looked better, something like a large loft with sparse but comfortable furniture. It was less gloomy, but the Victorian style he had chosen had an evil lair atmosphere that gave Nardole the chills. It didn't feel like feeding a prisoner anymore and the cyborg didn't particularly enjoyed the idea of keeping a villainess in her own lair.  
"You're giving her too much comfort, sir. It's not good at all."  
"What are you talking about" the Doctor grumbled. "I only gave her the basics, bed, table and a bathroom."  
"She has a queen size bed, way too many armchairs and tables for a single person and a luxury bathroom. Don't you want to give her a telly too ?"  
"It's too early for the telly, I can't use my TARDIS, since you've confiscated my dematerialisation circuit."  
Nardole rolled his eyes.  
"She shouldn't have all this, sir."  
"Do you want me to keep her chained in a dungeon for a thousand years ? What good would it make to you ? Petty revenge over crimes that don't even concern you ?"  
"I don't ask you to keep her in a dungeon. I just think you're spoiling her. She must feel like a guest, or worse, a companion, right now."  
"She's locked up in an underground Vault, Nardole. Treating her badly would be pure cruelty at this point."  
"I'm not talking about being cruel, only being strict. She keeps ordering me to call you, and I don't like that."  
"Good, you have no order to receive from her !"  
"You neither, Doctor" Nardole warned sternly.

At the beginning of the second week, Nardole just had time to enter the Vault when he felt a sharp pain in the arm. Turning around, he noticed Missy hidden in a dark corner, a kettle in the hand. She let out a crazy laugh and ran to the unlocked door. Despite having just been splashed with boiling water, Nardole reacted quickly and shot the Time Lady with a tranquilliser. He waited a moment to be sure she was sleeping and picked her on the floor. He was aware his cyborg members gave him a bit more strength than the common human being, but he didn't miss how alarmingly light she was. Unable to open the containment field, he put her on her bed and called the Doctor for help.

Later in the evening, the two men were sitting in the Doctor's office, discussing the kettle incident.  
"So, when do you install this food machine ?" Nardole asked, still nursing his arm.  
"I'm not sure it's a good idea. I gave her a kettle, you know. It's already a first step towards more independence."  
"I know you gave her a kettle, may I remind you she tried to boil me alive with it !"  
The Doctor roll his eyes.  
"Don't be so dramatic. Anyway, I think the food dispenser would be a terrible idea. She managed to sabotage her containment field using acid made from salad sauce and messed with the magnetic generators with mashed potatoes. I think you should supervise her during meals, at least until she settles."  
Nardole almost choke in his tea. But it didn't change the fact he took his own breakfast when going down to the Vault in the morning. Watching Missy eating was way too wierd, and he would feel better if he shared with her. Using the newly installed timer on the door, he opened the containment field, holding his breath as he gave the Time Lady her tray. All the potentially hazardous things had been removed from the Vault, including her hair dryer, pens and pencils... Not that she looked like she had used the hair dryer since her arrival. Her hair was dirty and messy and Nardole wondered if she made herself look miserable on purpose when she had everything she needed to make herself presentable. They start eating in silence when Missy talked first.  
"It's nice to have a cuppa. I can't make tea anymore..." she muttered bitterly.  
"I wonder why" Nardole answered sarcastically.  
"Maybe I only wanted a boiled egg" she answered with a devious smile.  
Nardole scoffed and kept eating in silence. Ignoring her provocations seemed the most sensible thing to do. Missy talked again.  
"Could you bring me tea later in the morning. And in the afternoon too."  
"We'll see" Nardole answered with an annoyed glance.  
Missy was taking her time, probably aware of the timer. She was smiling and swinging her legs in an unnerving way that gave Nardole the chills.  
"I want to see the Doctor."  
Nardole lifted his head to look at her in surprise. She had said those words with a strange vulnerability. Then, today had been the first time he really spoke to her since her arrival, and he couldn't help feeling surprised about her general demeanour and speach. She sounded quite childish and somewhat threatening. He wondered if she was playing with his nerves or was always like this.  
"You saw him yesterday and he's still really crossed after you. Now I have to supervise you during meals. Happy ?"  
"Not that much. You look like a sinister little hobgoblin. And I don't even know who you are, not that I care."  
"I'm Nardole, an old acquaintance of the Doctor. I was sent by River Song to keep an eye on him and kick his arse if necessary, and by extension do the same with you if you deserve it.."  
"Nice to meet you, Humpty Dumpty. I'm Missy, Queen of Evil."

A few days later, Nardole stopped using the containment field and joined Missy at the table. She didn't really have any means to hurt him anyway, and he realised that actually talking to her made the things less uncomfortable. After all his time spent in shady organisations on River's order, he didn't really fear hypnotism so much. It was a strange part of Nardole's personality, he was easily scared by silly little things but had an absolute confidence in his skills to face danger.  
"When is the Doctor coming ? Do I have to break something else to make him come down ?"  
"So that was your plan. Are you out of ideas to escape this place ?"  
Missy rolled her eyes.  
"I could go at any moment, but it's not what we agreed on. I just want to be with the Doctor. He promised to look after my body for a thousand years, not to leave his pets do the job !"  
"If I can give you an advice, breaking things won't get you anywhere. Why don't you try to act nicely, I'm sure the Doctor would appreciate."  
"How would he know, he's never here" she muttered under her breath.  
"Well, I could tell him you've been a nice girl."  
"Why not. Yeah, good idea !" she exclaimed cheerfully. "Actually it's brilliant. Unfortunately, you forgot one little thing..."  
Missy suddenly jumped from her chair like a jack-in-the-box and stabbed Nardole in the shoulder with her plastic knife.  
"Oh, yes, I'm NOT a nice girl !"  
The cyborg shriek, but soon regained his composure and stood calmly on his feet. He walked towards Missy and snatched the knife from her hand, watching her with his sternest frown.  
"Very well, Miss ! If you want to play games you will see I'm not someone to mess with."  
Saying that, he cleared the table and left the Vault without letting Missy finish her diner or have her dessert.

With someone like Missy, the most important was to never flinch and keep her under the illusion he was in control. Every fibre of her being irradiated evil, but Nardole already felt some cracks in her chill demeanour. Since he saw her on Carnathon, he guessed it would take nothing to shatter her. As the Doctor didn't feel the courage to confront Missy right now, Nardole knew it was his job to find the right balance to undermine Missy's tendencies for domination without breaking her. His mission right now was more than keeping a Vault. It was a taming mission to put the self entitled "Queen of Evil" out of harm's way without causing her any damage. His first approach had been wrong. Not talking or looking at her wasn't a solution. It was safer, but could only work if the Doctor did his job and visited her on a regular basis. As things were, with Missy in solitary confinement all day long, it was just an inhumane treatment. His first attempts for communicating with her had been rather positive and he could tell she was craving for any kind of company. Of course, she was still pushing the limits and trying to take over the game, but he was determined to keep the upper hand.

The next day, Nardole made sure Missy didn't have anything she couldn't cut with cardboard cutlery. He entered the Vault with an air of confidence to mask the fear the unpredictable prisoner inspired him. The Time Lady jumped on her feet and tried to snatch the paper bag from him. He stopped her and tutted.  
"That's not proper etiquette for an elegant lady like you. What happened yesterday was a regretful incident and I want us to start over. I've brought disposable cutlery in the bag. Why don't you help me and lay the table like a helpful person ?"  
Missy scoffed.  
"Do it yourself ! That's your job description, little hobgoblin !"  
"My job description isn't to serve you, miss. Now I thought you were a genius Time Lady, but seeing you can't use a kettle or a knife by yourself I'm worried about you."  
Missy bit her lower lip, unable to find a witty answer to Nardole's burn. She was visibly in an inner conflict on how to keep her dignity. Obeying to the little cyborg or throwing a tantrum she had no chance to win. Finally, she puffed her cheeks like a sulky teenager and put the cardboard plates out of the bag. Nardole thanked her but didn't add anything.  
Lunch time went on smoothly, Missy enjoying her meal while making sure she didn't look like she was listening to Nardole's chitchat. The cyborg kept talking on purpose, knowing very well Missy was bored to death and craved for a distraction. He talked about random things, mainly the Doctor's whereabouts, finding him excuses for his rare visits.  
"I have some requests" she said with a confident voice as she was biting in her generous slice of apple pie.  
Nardole frowned.  
"You don't have any orders to give here, miss."  
Taken aback, she grimaced and made a more obscene gesture. Nardole didn't pay any attention and kept talking.  
"But if you need something, you can ask politely and I'll see with the Doctor if you can have it."  
Missy froze in surprise before rolling her eyes with an affected annoyance.  
"All right ! May I have some books and drawing supplies ?"  
"Magic word ?"  
She scoffed and hesitated a moment. This had clearly become a game, and she was aware her opponent had the upper hand. But after weighting the pros and cons, she muttered.  
"Pretty please, Mr Eggman."  
"Right" Nardole said with a barely hidden satisfaction. What kind of books would you like ?"  
"Something about the stars, with adventures. And also picture books."  
"Science-fiction and comic books ? I'll take note. I can also find you soft pastels and safe pencils. Even plastic scissors and non-toxic glue, if you want."  
He doesn't miss noticing the little sparkle of excitement in her eyes and gladly realises he's going somewhere with Missy. Now rules are made and a good contact established, he hopes the Doctor won't mess up. The Master by herself is one thing, but if he recalls the records he's read, the Master and the Doctor together are an explosive combination. Fortunately, he has the upper hand on the Doctor too. The next thousand years were starting as a double fronted battle between two of the most powerful beings in the Universe.  
Great ! Now it was time for tea and book shopping.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not sure I 'm not OOC at all. I know in the show Nardole and Missy are probably far from being friends. I've tried to explore their relationship in a more canon based way. We know he's scared of her, but from what we saw in The Eaters of Light, he's not affraid of scolding her even if she's right before him. Also, as it's suggested by the show and confirmed by both the comics and the book, he's her main caretaker, and I'm pretty sure he cares about her well being to some extent. Anyway, I wanted to fill the gap between the execution and my earliest stories in the timeline.  
> Hope you've enjoyed ^^.


End file.
